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Buddleja globosa pruning

LeadFarmerLeadFarmer Posts: 1,500
in Plants
Anyone grow this?

I planted one last year so it's still getting established, was too small for it to flower then. It's now about 4/5ft tall and I'm hoping it will flower this year, but I know if flowers on old wood.

I'm wondering if there would be any advantage in me cutting back the main upright stem this spring to encourage bushy growth, even if this sacrifices flowering until next year? Or alternatively just leave it and see how it grows this year?






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  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I think I would cut that tall stem to keep it more in shape. It will flower on the other stems.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Be patient.  That stem may well flower this year so give it a chance and then prune afterwards.  The flower clusters are not very big but a good colour so worth giving them a chance. 
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    I think I'd go with Lizzie's suggestion.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    If you choose to prune it, they do grow back quite vigorously.  I'd clear the area around the base of the plant and add an organic mulch after you prune it to encourage bushier growth and flowering on any stems that you don't prune this year.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • zugeniezugenie Posts: 831
    It’s one that’s on my list for my front garden, I’ve wanted one for ages!
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    I've got a couple of these and they are absolutely adored by the bees. If this was mine I'd live with the shape and give it a chance to flower before cutting back after it has (if you cut the old flower balls off you can get a second, slightly smaller flus,  then prune). They grow very strongly and need really hard pruning to keep them a comfortable size. 
    I grew ours from a cutting and it's about 5 years old now. I had to hack it back to just above ground level last year as it was 4x4m + and very densely grown. It is now back to about 1.5x1.5m since that early summer prune and will probably put on another 50cm before it flowers this year.
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    We always believed that we had globosa but having put something some time ago on the forum it seemed as though we didn't. However reading above I do still think that we have globosa. We do cut back and get more flowers and we do cut it back with a hard pruning. It is so important for the bees and butterflies in our garden.
  • LeadFarmerLeadFarmer Posts: 1,500
    edited February 2023
    I bought it especially for attracting bees. I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing some flowers this year.
  • WonkyWombleWonkyWomble Posts: 4,541
    I have a cutting that I took, it got forgotten and ignored until it flowered last year and reminded me of its existence! It's not bigger that a foot and a half and an odd shape but I'm not touching it until after it's flowered. Just need to find a place to plant it now!
  • clematisdorsetclematisdorset Posts: 1,348
    @LeadFarmer this buddleja globosa is on my list.Was it easy to source can I ask? I am looking for a large specimen if possible but the ones I have seen advertised seem to be sold in pots of 3 litres or less. Did you try Burncoose? Thank you in advance!
    Sorry to witness the demise of the forum. 😥😥😥😡😡😡I am Spartacus 
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